Religious
Experience

Wildman's
Weird Wild Web

About the Course

The primary aim of this seminar is to help participants construct a
comprehensive and sensitive interpretation of religious experience. A
wide range of disciplinary perspectives will prove useful, including
those of evolutionary theory, sociology, psychology, neuroscience,
phenomenology, history, literature, philosophy, and theology. The
subordinate aim is to make participant learning beneficial for others by
enriching the Religious Experience Resources website.

“Religious Experience” (STH TT974) is a research seminar for doctoral
students. Advanced masters students can seek the permission of the
instructor to participate. Classes will meet once a week on Wednesdays from
8-11. Each class will be conducted in the seminar discussion format with
presentations by students and mini-lectures given by the instructor as
needed or requested by the class.

The
phrase “research seminar” indicates both that the goal is creative research
and that the students participating are invited to structure the seminar as
they see fit. While the instructor proposes a schedule of readings and
topics (see below), it is expected that students at this level should
introduce new readings and challenge prevailing perspectives of the class,
as they see fit.

The pedagogical principles adopted by the teaching
staff, as well as their execution, are subject to ongoing assessment.
End-of-semester course evaluations are particularly helpful in that
regard. This course will change next time in part because of what you say on those forms. This web page
offers another opportunity to profit from the wisdom and experience of
this year's class by inviting email comments during the semester about the
teaching methods and performance of the staff. To make those comments,
please email me at the feedback address.